Marthorne used his advantage with judgment.

He displayed a modesty highly commendable in a young man.

He listened, and only spoke for the purpose of acquiring information.

Nothing is so pleasing as to find a man of intelligence willingly constituting himself your pupil.

They were all anxious to teach him the business of the county, and the more he endeavoured to learn from them the cleverer they thought him.
Now, the business of the county was not very intricate; the details were innumerable, but the general drift was easy to acquire.